Life: the time God gives you to determine how you spend eternity

Encountering God

I would never say that our feelings and emotions aren’t a component of our faith as Christians. As we are told in the Bible about a ‘peace that passes all understanding’ (Phil 4:7). There’s ‘feeling’ in that. There are deep feelings of joy and love for God and Jesus Christ when we meditate on what God did at the cross, or on the truths of scripture, the written word of God. There are genuine feelings of guilt and sorrow when we discover sin in our lives that dishonors God, and we repent and receive forgiveness.

While we recognize that feelings and emotions are part of our lives as believers, should they be the ‘test’ of authenticity of our faith or experience of knowing God?

If we don’t ‘feel’ something is our faith somehow not what it should be? Are we some type of ‘lower level’ Christian who just hasn’t got everything God has for us? There are some today that would tell us exactly that. One example might be the need for a ‘second blessing’, that we only receive ‘taste’ of the Holy Spirit when we first believe. More extreme examples might the ecstatic manifestations that were present at the Toronto Airport, the Lakeland Revival with Todd Bentley & Co., and that are core principles with ‘The Jesus Culture’ and Bethel Church.

I’m not going to answer the questions or offer my opinion. I’m just asking the questions. My answers and opinions are not important. What is important is whether or not something is taught in scripture. So call this ‘food for thought’ on a Thursday morning.

In the original post I mentioned Jesus Culture and Bethel Church. Here is a link to a You Tube that might be an eye opener, if not a shock to the system, for some of you who. Although there are some older people in some of the video clips, you will see mostly young people. Nuff said. Here’s the link:

The biggest thing we need is a balance between doctrine (the intellect) and emotion (the heart). Doctrine without emotion is often nothing more than an academic exercise, while emotion without doctrine is shallow. Everything has to have its roots in the Bible.